Railway brake head and shoe



Dec. 4, 1934. J. MURPHY RAILWAY BRAKE HEAD AND SHOE 2' Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 19, 1933 J. MURPHY RAILWAY BRAKE HEAD AND SHOE Filed June 19, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 4, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 6 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in railway brake heads and shoes and has as its general object to improve over the present type of brake which includes a brake head usually provided .with spaced toes at the top and bottom and with a pair of lugs for cooperation with a lug on the brake shoe in holding the head and shoe together; together with a suitable key engaging the head and shoe lugs in a manner to cause the.

shoe and head to be tightly wedged together.

In accordance with the present invention the number of lugs on both the head and shoe are increased to provide additional points of contact between the shoeand head as an additional aid in sustaining the weight of the shoe on the head; and further both the shoe and the head are reinforced in a novel manner to enable them to withstand the shocks and jars to which brake shoes and heads are subjected in service.

Further in accordance with the present invention a railway brake of the character above'mentioned is provided with a head having an additional hanger hole therethrough whereby the head may be used with equal facilityeither as a right or left hand brake without further alteration in the construction thereof.

The invention together wth its, numerous objects and advantages will be best understood from a study of the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 isa vertical sectional view through the shoe and head illustrating the invention.

Figure 2 is a rear elevational view of the shoe.

Figure 3 is a side elevational view thereof.

Figure 4is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a metal back which is embedded in the shoe at the back thereof, and

Figure 6 is an elevational view of the locking key.

Figure '7 is a rear elevational view of the brake shoe and head in assembled relation.

Referring to the drawings by. reference numerals it will be seen that the head is of the general outline and size of a standard head, including among other parts upper and lower pairs of toes 10 and 11 respectively between which extend transverse bars or straps 12 and 13 respectively.

As shown the head in the present instance is provided with two pairs of center lugs 14 and 15 ret-pectively providing between the toes 10 and 11 and center lugs, transverse grooves 16 connected with hanger holes whereby the head with facility may be used either as a right or left hand brake. However the head is constructed with a departure from the ordinary construction in the provision, at the rear thereof of upper and lower pairs of strengthening ribs 17 and 18 respectively for reinforcement purposes as will be clear from a study of Figure '7.

The brake shoe is in the main, of standard form and shape complemental to the head and to which it is attached. The metal body of the shoe is designated by the reference numeral 19 while the reference numeral 20 designates a'back plate which is embedded in the body at the back thereof. As an improvement over the type of back plate now employed, the plate, in accordance with the present invention exceeds slightly in length, the length of the back plate as now generally used and has its surplus end portions 21 bent at an angle to the main body of the plate and embedded in the body 19 .of the shoe adjac nt the ends of the shoe as disclosed in Figure 1. By providing the plate 20 with ends 21 such as shown, provision is made for holding the separated parts of the body ofv the brake shoe against falling to the track in the event the body of the shoe should crack and break. This is obviously a safety feature reducing the possibility of derailment to a such derailment being often caused by reason of a broken off portion of the shoe falling to the track.

Also, in accordance with the present invention instead of providing the body 19 of the brake shoe with but a single pair of center lugs 22 there are provided additional pairs of upper and lower lugs 23. The additional lugs 23 cooperate with the usual lugs 22 in sustaining the weight of the shoe on the head and also provides additional contact surfaces between the shoe and the head to which it is attached thus relieving the lug 22 of the strain which it would otherwise be subjected to. The additional lugs 23 together with the transverse grooves 16, provided on the head as herein before mentioned, aflford additional connections between the shoe and the head tending to more securely hold the shoe fixed on the head. As shown in Figure 5 the back plate 20 is provided in its side edges with recesses 24 that accommodate the legs 25 of lug straps 26, and in this connection, reference being had to Figure 4 it will be seen that the ends of the legs of the lug straps are disposed beneath the back plate 20 and secured thereto in any suitable manner.

The lug straps 26 provide key accommodating loops which bridge the pairs of lugs 22 and 23 respectively it being noted and as clearly shown in Figure 4, said lugs 22 and 23 do not extend continuously across the rear face of the shoe but each pair of lugs comprises two spaced apart sections which receive therebetween lug straps 26.

As shown in Figure 1 the lugs 22 and 23 are accommodated in the transverse grooves 16 with the loops formed by the lug straps 26 alining with the spaces or grooves provided at the end of the brake head between the upper and lower pairs of toes 10 and 11 and the passages-provided Ill) I other that a shoe having a single center lug in the lugs 14 and 15 on the head so that when the shoe is in position on the -.-head, a key 27, may be passed longitudinally therethrough to secure the several parts together. 7

It will be seen that the key bears against the lug straps 26 and the bridge pieces 12 and 13 between the upper and lower pairs of toes l0 and 11 thus causing the lugs on the shoe and head to be wedged tightly together with the back of the shoe body in bearing contact with the bridge or tie pieces 12 and 13 and lugs 14 and 15. i

It will thus be seen that in accordance with the present invention maximum contact surfaces for the head and shoe are provided so that the strain to which both the head and shoe are generally subjected will not be localized at any one point on either the head or shoe thus reducing to a minimum the possibility of breakage.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is:-

1. In a railway brake head and shoe combination, a head having two pairs of center lugs spaced from each other to leave a center space therebetween and each pair of lugs having a longitudinal space therebetween, two pairs of toes, one pair at each end of the head in arcuate alignment with said pairs of lugs, straps interconnecting the toes and lugs of each pair thereof, and a brake shoe having three pairs of lugs, one central and extending between the pairs of center lugs on the head, and two pairs of lugs extending between said center pairs of lugs and said toes, straps interconnecting said pairs of lugs on the shoe, and a key extending beween all of said pairs of lugs and toes whereby to engage said straps and hold the shoe on the head, two hanger hole apertures being provided in the head, one between each pair of center lugs and the adjacent toes.

2. In a railway brake head and shoe combination, a head having two pairs of center lugs spaced from each other to leave a center space therebetween and each pair of lugs having a longitudinal .space therebetween, two pairs of toes, one pair at each end of the head in arcuate alignment with said pairs of lugs, straps interconnecting the toes and lugs of each pair thereof, and a brake shoe having three pairs of lugs, one central and extending between the" pairs of center lugs on the head, and two pairs of lugs'extending between said center pairs of lugs and said toes, straps interconnecting said pairs of lugs. on the shoe, and a key extending between all of said pairs of lugs and toes whereby to engage said straps and hold the shoe on the head, two hanger hole apertures being provided in the head, one between each pair of center lugs and the adjacent toes, said center lugs being so arranged with respect to each pport may be attached to the head. 3. In a railway brake head and shoe combination, a head having two pairs of center lugs spaced from each other to leave a center space therebetween and each pair of lugs having a 1ongitudinal space therebetween, two pairs of toes, one pair at each end of the head in arcuate alignment with said pairs of lugs, straps interconnecting the toes and lugs 01 each pair thereof, and a brake shoe having three pairs of lugs, one central and extending between the pairs of center lugs on the head, and two pairs of'lugs extending between said center pairs of lugs and .said toes, straps interconnecting said pairs or lugs on the shoe, anda key extending between all of said pairs of lugs and toes whereby to engage said straps and hold the shoe on the head, two hanger hole apertures being provided in the head, one between each pair of center lugs and the adjacent toes, the straps between the toes being narrower in width than the longitudinal length of said toes and the pairs of center lugs on the head being so arranged that a shoe having a single center supporting lug and end lugs may be attached to said head, said end lugs on the shoe extending between the toes of said head adjacent said straps.

4. In a railway brake and shoe combination, a head having two pairs of center lugs spaced from each other to leave a center space therebetween and each pair of lugs having a longitudinal space therebetween, two pairs of toes, one pair at each end of the head in arcuate alignment with said pairs of lugs, straps interconnecting the toes and lugs of each pair thereof, and a brake shoe having three pairs of lugs, one central and extending between the pairs of center lugs on the head, and two pairs of lugs extending between said center pairs of lugs and said toes, straps interconnecting said pairs of lugs on the shoe, and a key extending between all of said pairs of lugs and toes whereby to engage said straps and hold the shoe on the head.

5. In a railway brake and shoe combination, a head having two pairs of center lugs spaced from each other 'to leave a center space therebetween and each pair of lugs having a longitudinal space therebetween, two pairs of toes, one pair at each end of the head in arcuate alignment with said pairs of lugs, straps interconnecting the toes and lugs of each pair thereof, and a brake shoe having three pairs of lugs, one central and extending between the pairs of center lugs on the head, and two pairs of lugs extending between said center pairs of lugs and said toes, straps interconnecting said pairs of lugs on the shoe, and a key extending between all of said pairs of ,lugs and toes whereby to engage said straps and hold the shoe on the head, said center lugs being so arranged with respect to each other that a shoe having a single center lug support may be attached to the head.

6.. In a railway brake head and shoe combination, a head having two pairs of center lugs spaced from each other to leave a center space therebetween and each pair of lugs having a longitudinal space therebetween, two pairs of toes, one pair at each end of the head in arcuatealignment with said pairs of lugs, straps interconnecting the toes and lugs of each pair thereof, and a brake shoe having three pairs of lugs, one central and extending between the pairs of center lugs on the head, and two pairs of lugs extending between said center pairs of lugs and said toes, straps interconnecting said pairs of lugs on the shoe, and a key extending between all of said pairs of lugs and toes whereby to engage said straps and hold the shoe on the head, the straps between the toes being narrower in width than' the longitudinal length of said toes and the pairs of center lugs on the head being so arranged that a shoe having a single center supporting lug and end lugsmay be attached to said head, said end lugs on the shoe extending between the toes of said head adjacent said straps.

JAMES MURPHY. 

